Yadavs ask PM to defer bill, call for all-party meet

Showing no signs of relenting on the Women's Reservation bill in its present form, the Yadav trio today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to defer the measure and call an all-party meeting to evolve a consensus.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav met the Prime Minister at hisofficial Race Course road residence this morning, a day after the bill was stalled in the Rajya Sabha which witnessedunprecedented pandemonium.

"We have asked the Prime Minister to defer the bill. We have also requested him to call an all-party meeting on theissue. He listened to us patiently," Prasad told reporters after the 45-minute meeting.

He maintained that his party is not against the reservation for women but only wants the "real needy women" ofthe society to be represented through it.

Sharad Yadav, in whose JD(U) there are sharp divisions on the bill with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar coming out in its support, said they had apprised Singh of their apprehensions if the bill providing for 33 per cent reservation of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies was passed in its present form.

"We expressed our views, our pain particularly for Muslim, backward and dalit women. These communities comprise80 per cent of the population. We thank him for inviting us," he said.

The three leaders refused to answer a question on whether Singh had given any assurance to them on their demand.